Poor Grades, How To Find Comfort

Who knows the feeling when you have been doing your best, your very best in a class yet your grades keep on getting poorer and poorer? That was definitely me in undergrad. Chemistry and Biology were not my forte. No matter how many times I tried to change my approach of studying for each quiz and test, nothing seemed to improve. You can imagine the shock and discouragement each time I saw my grades: I was seriously broken. For any of you who might be going through this experience in school, I share your sorrow. Despite it all, you need to be strong. In Romans 8:37, Paul says that “yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” In order to rise up and continue on in your class (i.e. if the Spirit tells you to do so), you need to equip yourself spiritually. In the previous verse, Paul is talking about his sufferings, pains, and hardships in the Lord, however, he finds comfort in the fact that Christ loves him and gave him victory. To be candid, when you’re in a situation where your grades are bad, it’s hard to accept that you’re destined for victory and that Christ indeed loves you, otherwise, why aren’t you getting better scores?

When I think about a man like Paul who could go through sufferings and concurrently trust in the Lord, then I realize this is nothing compared to bad grades. Yes, having bad grades may mean repeating the class or having a lower GPA, but God is still in control. If you’ve done your best, your very best, you need to have faith that God.is.in.control. No matter what your family, friends, profs, or thoughts may say, you have to find comfort in the Word of God. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him“–Hebrews 11:6. Don’t cease to pray, pray, and pray: Ask God for courage to stand unshaken in the midst of the difficulty, ask God to send someone to better assist you and for more enlightening in the course.
Who knows, the Father may as well be using this situation to humble you? If you are accustomed to regularly have decent grades, God wants you to learn how to live with bad marks and be an encourager to others in the same conditions. Remember the Lord is more interested in building you up spiritually than academically (not that He ignores your studies).

Be assured that Jesus loves you so dearly and is concerned about your studies. He’s called you to be an overcomer spiritually in order to be capable of facing any challenge. As long as you keep on doing your part of fervently praying and being in the Word, the Lord will strengthen you by the power of His Holy Spirit to continue doing your best in the class. It is well with you in Jesus’ name!